tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post1020986226581740121..comments2024-03-22T12:20:48.920+00:00Comments on open...: Proof that Microsoft Now Fears for the DesktopGlyn Moodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-87644994926726356272009-02-10T23:01:00.000+00:002009-02-10T23:01:00.000+00:00Extraordinary, isn't it. At a time when they need...Extraordinary, isn't it. At a time when they need to show some flexibility, they retreat into their 1980s mindset.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-38934783320818253982009-02-10T22:55:00.000+00:002009-02-10T22:55:00.000+00:00I'm wondering to what extent Microsoft will shoot ...I'm wondering to what extent Microsoft will shoot itself in the foot with Windows 7 Crippled Edition, which runs only three apps. And which, despite much astroturfing otherwise, has been declared by Microsoft to be something they will in fact market in first-world markets for netbooks.<BR/><BR/>You have three apps you can run. Make one of those Firefox or Chrome with a Flash plugin. Now you have mail, chat, office, music, video ...<BR/><BR/>If Microsoft had Apple's knack for joined-up thinking, I'd say they'd planned it that way and were going to revitalise MSN and Windows/Office Live for this market. But they don't, they're battling divisions who happily destroy each other's projects.<BR/><BR/>Microsoft may just have handed the market to Google.<BR/><BR/>(Which is a pity, because the Windows 7 beta really does seem to be Vista done right. I'm not a fan of Microsoft's odious and criminal business practices, but I'm not going to say bad things about them that aren't true. It runs well and usably and responsively in 512MB. I was shocked.)David Gerardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057086390864018760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-30260413910437076032009-02-10T18:45:00.000+00:002009-02-10T18:45:00.000+00:00People,The fate of Microsoft is clear. It will wit...People,<BR/><BR/>The fate of Microsoft is clear. It will wither and becoem a minor layer in the desktop industry.<BR/><BR/>Our current problem is Google, they're getting too big plus they have the data to boot. I'm much more worried about Google owning nearly all of the web surf data.<BR/><BR/>Not using/avoiding/undermining Google is where it's at because they could become the 21st century Big Brother.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-36496921023734201602009-02-08T07:43:00.000+00:002009-02-08T07:43:00.000+00:00Nice summary.Nice summary.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-83545205302014650872009-02-07T23:58:00.000+00:002009-02-07T23:58:00.000+00:00Microsoft is in bad strategic pit:Apple is clippin...Microsoft is in bad strategic pit:<BR/><BR/>Apple is clipping the high-end sales.<BR/><BR/>Netbooks are expanding - and only with Linux and some old XP. Other hardware sales are way down.<BR/><BR/>Linux is expanding at the low end and nicely upgrading old Windows machines that are too tiny for Vista/7.<BR/><BR/>Monopoly of forced upgrades (Corporate Fortune 10's move to next version of windows or MSOffice then others are forced to follow) is broken, IT departments have extended their 'evaluation' time on new versions and skip Windows generations. They are now considering skipping hardware updates and even considering (ghastly!) thin clients all around. Ubuntu does this quite easily, converting old fat clients to thin clients easily too.<BR/><BR/>Some 'fool' of a company released Open Office for free, that was MS's biggest cash cow, and now two other big companies have prettied Open Office up some more.<BR/><BR/>Google owns search and getting better as a desktop replacement.<BR/><BR/>Darn Netbooks to do browsing don't need a fancy OS. Broadband is the bottleneck not cpu Ghz.<BR/><BR/>An uphill battle for Windows, to be sure. New position will be hard (can't push a rope in an organization).<BR/><BR/>Microsoft's best solution is to quit futzing and embrace Linux. There are value chains they can exploit.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-9666195835478860232009-02-07T20:07:00.000+00:002009-02-07T20:07:00.000+00:00*LOL* I saw that comments too ("buffaloes are gett...*LOL* I saw that comments too ("buffaloes are getting smarter.") and you beat me to it.Dr. Roy Schestowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04422170397340869575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-78002121001379226672009-02-07T19:19:00.000+00:002009-02-07T19:19:00.000+00:00@anonymous: I think you mean lions and GNUs....@anonymous: I think you mean lions and GNUs....Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-5861129242515062772009-02-07T19:18:00.000+00:002009-02-07T19:18:00.000+00:00@abe: thanks - and thanks for your interesting com...@abe: thanks - and thanks for your interesting comments.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-90324831895683375072009-02-07T18:00:00.000+00:002009-02-07T18:00:00.000+00:00Microsoft is the last big standing powerful deceas...Microsoft is the last big standing powerful decease of our modern society and open source is the cure.<BR/>They are the lions and the open source society is the buffaloes, the former is strong because despite being a minority it's united and destroys the buffaloes one by one by isolating them (Novel, the others who signed the patents deals) from the crowd and killing them softly, with care.<BR/>The Linux Foundation is a sign that the buffaloes are getting smarter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-67564892144733711202009-02-07T16:12:00.000+00:002009-02-07T16:12:00.000+00:00@Abe: no, I wasn't suggesting Novell could survive...@Abe: no, I wasn't suggesting Novell could survive on it. As for splitting up and culture, that's why the culture *must* change.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-66859809754800987692009-02-07T16:03:00.000+00:002009-02-07T16:03:00.000+00:00glyn moody:In case I forgot to mention it, your ar...glyn moody:<BR/><BR/>In case I forgot to mention it, your article is very insightful, very informative, and your logical deduction is well put.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for posting it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-56384130454473988732009-02-07T15:49:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:49:00.000+00:00Glyn:*Netware*.I agree, but is it enough for Novel...Glyn:<BR/>*Netware*.<BR/>I agree, but is it enough for Novell to survive or sustain a healthy business?<BR/><BR/>*enough to keep them going for many years*<BR/>I agree again, but for how long before those customers see the light? Enterprise level companies, by nature or habit, tend to have single source for most of their services and purchses. If they are going to keep paying to the nose while others don't, how long they are going to stay blind or look the other way?<BR/><BR/>*perhaps by splitting it up into competing divisions*<BR/>I don't think anyone would have a problems with that (well may be some). But that does not suit MS business mentality and culture. Even if it does change, they will have to compete on the same level as everyone else. That is healthy and sustainable. At least, there wont be any monopoly or abuse of.<BR/><BR/>I can live with that. lolAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-4697216749106533822009-02-07T15:36:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:36:00.000+00:00@Roy: I wasn't suggesting Novell were rolling in i...@Roy: I wasn't suggesting Novell were rolling in it from Netware revenues: that was just an example of inertia. It will certainly be interesting to watch Novell's next few months - something I'm sure you'll be reporting on fully...Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-17879712209508689382009-02-07T15:32:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:32:00.000+00:00Glyn,Novell operates at a considerable loss. Expec...Glyn,<BR/><BR/>Novell operates at a considerable loss. Expect massive layoffs probably by the end of the month (time of the report).Dr. Roy Schestowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04422170397340869575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-87269313279927038132009-02-07T15:24:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:24:00.000+00:00@Abe: don't underestimate the inertia of users. I...@Abe: don't underestimate the inertia of users. I read somewhere that Novell is still earning money from *Netware*. <BR/><BR/>MS could easily decline gracefully making money from its base of users who will never shift simply because it never enters their mind to shift. Not the best business, but enough to keep them going for many years.<BR/><BR/>But I think that ultimately some iconclast will claw his/her way to the top of Microsoft, and remake it fundamentally - perhaps by splitting it up into competing divisions.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-90396377472152232622009-02-07T15:20:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:20:00.000+00:00Glyn:[I think they're probabaly "too big ...Glyn:<BR/>[I think they're probabaly "too big to fail",]<BR/><BR/>I agree but not totally. They wont fail as a financial compay (Too much money in their pocket), they will fail as a software company.<BR/><BR/>If we look at the trend, IBM joined FOSS from the very begining. May be due to sheer luck or may be due to their experience and insight. The majority of software companies, including IBM, initially didn't want FOSS to succeed. They considered FOSS as the enemy. So their strategy was to align with MS but in the background.<BR/><BR/>IBM couldn't do that because of their past experience with MS & BG. IBM foresaw an opportunity with FOSS. They used it to revive their Mainframe and also to stop MS from taken over the whole world.<BR/><BR/>Novell did the same but instead of strengthen its business, they tried to change FOSS to suit their plans. Big mistake and they will fail.<BR/><BR/>Sun was behind MS in SCO's fiasco and settled their case with MS abandoning FOSS. They tried playing the ropes. They finally realised their mistake and recently started joining FOSS (OpenOffice, MySQL, VirtualBox, GPLed Java, etc.)<BR/><BR/>MS created its own enemies using its strength. If it wasn't for FOSS, MS would have dominated the IT world and all other companies would be getting nothing more than bread crump left by MS.<BR/><BR/>What is left for MS are the ISP who are living off MS handouts. When these handout no longer available, the ISP will start making their own bread by furnishing FOSS services. FOSS creates a level playing field for all to compete. MS can join, but they are too greedy to be satisfied with sharing, and too much of a sleazy to be trusted.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-81493364688552340652009-02-07T15:08:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:08:00.000+00:00@Roy: I don't think the numbers are so important a...@Roy: I don't think the numbers are so important as the dynamics, which are almost identical: hugely-successful monopolist that needs to re-invent itself radically in the face of a new world.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-46570728508548058362009-02-07T15:04:00.000+00:002009-02-07T15:04:00.000+00:00The comparison to IBM is unfair. IBM is about 5 ti...The comparison to IBM is unfair. IBM is about 5 times bigger than Microsoft.Dr. Roy Schestowitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04422170397340869575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-53873924807567365002009-02-07T14:32:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:32:00.000+00:00yep. So the question is how much damage they will ...yep. So the question is how much damage they will cause in the process of going down. Because they won't go down quietly.David Gerardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057086390864018760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-18482437286310512442009-02-07T14:30:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:30:00.000+00:00@David: if so, they're fighting the old battles wi...@David: if so, they're fighting the old battles with the old weapons.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-45351658200135351242009-02-07T14:29:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:29:00.000+00:00I think they're probabaly "too big to fail", but t...I think they're probabaly "too big to fail", but they will probably follow the path of IBM in losing their dominant position in the industry.Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-26682958697788757992009-02-07T14:25:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:25:00.000+00:00What is going through their minds? They're still f...What is going through their minds? They're still fighting to the death and will not stop until they can't fight any more.<BR/><BR/>Your competitors could come from nowhere any time - every battle is a battle to the death. BillG stated this expressly in those words repeatedly for many years. That's their corporate culture.David Gerardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13057086390864018760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-42831687922949757392009-02-07T14:14:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:14:00.000+00:00Glyn:Exactly, they are in a state of total confusi...Glyn:<BR/>Exactly, they are in a state of total confusion. They never thought of it happening to them.<BR/>It is time for MS, as a software company, to lay down and die.<BR/><BR/>What is concerning is, before they do that, they might use a nuclear option before FOSS is entrenched.<BR/>That wont hurt FOSS much, but it would create chaos that would harm the market and the progress of IT.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-90983456163378617462009-02-07T14:00:00.000+00:002009-02-07T14:00:00.000+00:00@Abe: it's hard to know what exactly is going thro...@Abe: it's hard to know what exactly is going through their minds: are they still fighting dirty? Fair? Seeking to cooperate? Throwing in the towel?Glyn Moodyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04436885795882611585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19798349.post-43982567616778612262009-02-07T13:57:00.000+00:002009-02-07T13:57:00.000+00:00If You can't beat them, join them"That is the only...If You can't beat them, join them"<BR/><BR/>That is the only option MS has left.<BR/><BR/>NO, Wait a minute, I take that back. I believe it is too late. MS had its chance to join FOSS. Now it has no option. Whether it continues to fight FOSS or join it, they are doomed. It is all of its doing. It made its bed, its time to sleep in it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com